THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 26, 1995 TAG: 9508260531
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BRISTOL, TENN. LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
Mark Martin was fastest in practice Friday at Bristol International Raceway, and he backed it up with a track record speed of 125.093 miles per hour to win the pole for tonight's Goody's 500.
Martin, driving his Jack Roush-owned Ford Thunderbird, was the only driver to top Chuck Bown's record speed of 124.946 mph set here in April 1994.
``We've got some poles already this year, so there wasn't any priority at all on sitting on the pole here,'' said Martin, who had already had won three poles . ``My biggest hope, first and foremost, was to get a front stretch pit, and then a good starting spot.''
Terry Labonte was second in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo at 122.521 mph, while Steve Grissom seemed to come out of nowhere to take third in his Chevy with a lap of 122.497. Grissom's previous best qualifying effort was 15th at North Wilkesboro in April.
Kyle Petty qualified fourth in the fastest Pontiac Grand Prix at 122.326 mph, followed by Winston Cup points leader Jeff Gordon, who won here in April, with a lap of 122.115 in his Chevy.
Also in the top 10 are Dale Jarrett in a Ford at 122.022 mph, Darrell Waltrip in a Chevy at 121.860, defending champion Rusty Wallace in a Ford at 121.659 Ricky Rudd in a Ford at 121.558 and Dale Earnhardt in a Chevy at 121.528.
``We've got a great setup for here,'' said Martin. ``We brought the car here in the spring, never turned a screw on the chassis and sat on the pole. (He finished eighth).
``We brought it back exactly like it was in April, were fastest in practice and again we never turned a screw. I seem to have a decent feel for what I need to get around this joint.''
Only 36 or 37 cars - 32 qualifiers and four or perhaps five provisional starters - are scheduled to start tonight's race, which begins at 7:40.
So that leaves a rather significant group of regulars in danger of going home early. The final field will be set after a second round of time trials at 1 p.m. today.
Brett Bodine sat in the 32nd and final starting spot at the end of the first round. Below him, in order, were Dick Trickle, Lake Speed, Dave Marcis, Joe Ruttman, Kenny Wallace, John Andretti, Jimmy Hensley, Bobby Hillin, Todd Bodine, Greg Sacks and Elton Sawyer.
Sacks and Marcis have already used all of the provisional starting spots available to them and will not get into the race unless they are fast enough on the track.
If they don't make it, they may save themselves some grief.
``This place is really tough,'' Martin said. ``The outside groove is not very desirable and that's where you have to do your passing. This is an extremely difficult race now that they've concreted this race track (in 1992), but it doesn't come apart when we race. So it has a good side to it.'' ILLUSTRATION: TODAY IN NASCAR
Graphic
[For a copy of the graphic, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB